USA > New York > History of the state of New York. Vol. II, Pt. 1 > Part 13
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* The French called this place " Corlaer," after Arendt Van Curler, who had begun a ret- !* went there in 1001: see ante, vol. i., 345, 650, 601, 732; Colden, i., 31; Charlevoix, il., DA; Cul. Doc., ix., 467.
£
104
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
1666. The French kindly
treated.
The French retreat.
CHAP. III. had sent down to Brodhead at Esopus for a re-enforce- ment, he abandoned the project. At his request, seven of his wounded were taken to Albany for medical aid. Wine and provisions were cheerfully supplied, through the influ- ence of Van Curler ; but Courcelles declined the offers of accommodation for his troops in Schenectady, lest his half- starved followers, who had camped under the cold blue heavens for six weeks, might desert if brought "within the smell of a chimney-corner." Learning that most of the Mohawks and Oneidas had gone to attack the "wampum makers," while the rest had retired to their castles, and fearing that a sudden thaw might break up the ice, Cour- celles " found it reasonable to return home, nothing effect- ed." Ile began his retreat with a show of marching to- ward the Mohawk villages, but soon faced northward, and pushed rapidly for Canada. The savages pursued their enemies to Lake Champlain, and made some prisoners. The French supposed that they had terrified the Mohawks, who only took fresh courage because their vainglorious adversaries had " vanished like false fire."*
Action of Nicolls.
When the news of Courcelles's expedition reached Nic- olls, he was " surprised" at such an invasion of " these His Majesty's dominions" in time of peace, which was "not conformable to the practice in Europe." Yet he com- mended the friendly conduct of the Albany officers, whose predecessors had "in all former times been very affection- ate with Christian charity to ransom or by any other means to convey divers French prisoners out of the hands of their barbarous enemies." The wounded Frenchnnen who had been left there were carefully attended by Surgeon D'Ilinse, who spoke their own tongue. With Nicolls's approbation, the officers at Albany exerted themselves so that the Mo- hawks " were at last wrought upon to treat of peace" with the French ; and a letter from Baker and his colleagues, announcing the event to Tracy, was handed to the Oneidas to carry to Quebec. In consequence of the supplies which had been furnished to Courcelles, and of an anticipated short crop, the governor was obliged to prohibit the ex-
26 March.
24 March.
* Relation, 1666, 6, 7; Col. Doc , 118, 119, 126, 127, 133, 152. 395; Doc. Hist., i., 46, 47, 50, 51, 55, 100 ; Charlevoix, ii., 141, 156, 157 ; Colden, i., 31, 22 ; Mass. I. S. Coll., i., 161 ; Feil- lon, iji., 120-134.
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RICHARD NICOLLS, GOVERNOR.
105
portation of wheat from New York, except by special li- CHAr. III. cense .*
1666.
Sad letters
By this time apprehension of an attack by De Ruyter had ceased ; but the want of trade, caused by the war and the English navigation laws, was grievous to New York. In letters to the Duke of York, and Clarendon and Coven- try, Nicolls described the sad condition of the province. To Arlington he wrote, "In regard the inhabitants (at 9 April. least three parts of four) being Dutch, though now His Maj- of Nicolls esty's subjects as native English, have been seated here home. divers years as a factory, and their estates as well as rela- tions interwoven with their correspondents and friends in Holland, unless ITis Majesty pleaseth to grant them some extraordinary enfranchisement, the sudden interruption of their factory with Holland will absolutely destroy all the present inhabitants; who, setting aside the innate love to their country in this time of war after so sudden a change, will prove better subjects than we have found in some of the other colonies; and, with a moderate permission, bothi for time and trade, will support this government better than can be reasonably expected from new comers of our own nation, who at first, as we find by experience, are blown up with large designs, but not knowing the knack of trading here to differ from most other places, they meet with discouragements, and stay not to become wiser." After alluding to the action of the royal commissioners, and the " sophistry" and "pride" of Massachusetts, Nicolls remarked that New York " will withdraw, in short time, most of their trade hither, where I have begun to set up a school of het- ter religion and obedience to God and the king." Again he urged that "a speedy consideration be taken of the neces- sities both of the soldiers and country. For myself," he added, " I am utterly ruined in my small estate and credit ; and, which is worse, without very great supplies I shall not be able to secure or make an honest defence of his maj- e-ty's interest should we be attacked by a foreign force." The English soldiers, upon whom alone he could rely, were now dispersed into four garrisons, at New York, Esopus, Al-
* C.J. Der., ili., 196-134; Ord., Warr., Lett., ii., 80, 78, 157. Nicolls appears to have I sitt of winding Van Curler to Canada, but the latter did not go until the next year : C.l. Ixx., HL, 128, 156 ; post, 121.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHAT. IL. bany, and the Delaware. "My ignorance," he modestly 1666. suggested, "made me bold to undertake so great a charge, which will become a much wiser man and of a more plen- tiful fortune.""
The Dela- ware terri- tory.
20 March.
9 April.
The Delaware territory had meanwhile been governed by Nicolls on his own responsibility, without any directions from England. To encourage its trade, he directed that no duties should be levied on any merchandise carried between it and New York. By Ensign Arthur Stock, who had acted as commissary there, Nicolls wrote to Arlington, exposing the fallacy of Lord Baltimore's pretensions to the Delaware country, and urging that it might be granted to Berkeley and Carteret in place of New Jersey. " If some course be not taken to rectify these great mistakes," he added, "New York, Delaware, and the Lord Berkeley's interest will de- stroy each other." Sir Robert Carr, who was now at New York, also renewed his suggestion that Delaware should be united with some of the Eastern colonies, and himself made the governor, which he thought would be " both useful and beneficial." Nevertheless Delaware long remained an in- convenient appendage to New York.t
9 April.
18 May. Haerlem patent.
In spite of the admonitions of Nicolls, few patents for lands were vet issued. An important one, however, was granted to the inhabitants of Iaerlem, or "Lancaster," which confirmed their former privileges, but in subordina- tion to the city of New York, "as being within the liber- ties thereof."+
Following the example of Gardiner, the owners of Shel- Shelter Ial- ter Island obtained a confirmation of their title. This and patent. beautiful spot, formerly known as "Farret's Island," had come into the possession of Thomas Middleton, and Con- stant and Nathaniel Sylvester, of Barbadoes. The latter, who professed to be a Quaker, settled himself at Shelter Island. In consideration of one hundred and fifty pounds, paid "one half in beef and the other half in pork," toward the support of the New York government, Nicolls released
25 May.
* Col. Doc., ill., 114, 115. This letter, being addressed to Lord Arlington as Secretary of State, is pre-erved in the British State Paper Office. Those of the same date, which Nicolis wrote to the Duke of York. Lord Clarendon, and Secretary Coventry, were not depositel there : see N. Y. II. S. Coll. (1969), 113-120.
t Ord., Warr .. Lett .. fi., 43 ; S. Hazard, 369, 370; Col. Doc., iii., 105, 100, 113-115; R. I. Col. Rec., il., 137, 15%; Chalmers, i .. 634.
# Patent3, 1, 57-00; Hoffman, i., 131; ante, p. 76; vol. i., 074, 675.
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RICHARD NICOLLS, GOVERNOR.
the island forever from all taxes and all military duty. A CHAP, III. patent was also issued confirming it to the Sylvesters as an "entire enfranchised township, manor, and place of itself," 1666. with equal privileges with any other town in the province .* 31 May.
Visiting Hempstead again at the time of the annual races, Nicolls made a treaty with Tackapausha, the chief 11 June. sachem of the Marsapeagues, and other Long Island tribes, by which they covenanted to be at peace with the English and submit to their government.t
In the mean time there was great discontent on Long Discontent Island, especially in its eastern towns, which were vexed Island. on Long at being no longer under the government of Connecti- ent. Southampton, Southold, and Easthampton refused to 10 April choose the local officers required by the duke's laws, and would not pay their rates. Nicolls therefore warned them 21 April. against sedition, and that the duke's authority would be enforced. The oath required from the overseers seemed to be the chief stumbling-block, and this the governor prut- dently waived. The authors of the trouble were Howell, 3 May. of Southampton, and Younge, of Southold, whose rival and colleague at the Hempstead meeting, William Wells, had been made high-sheriff of Yorkshire. In the judgment of : May. Nicolls, Younge was " a bad instrument," but had no brains " to carry on such a business." Underhill, the high-consta- ble of the North Riding, whose "reall hart" inclined to Con- nectient, likewise wrote from Oyster Bay representing " the $9 April distempers of the people against the present form of govern- ment, by which they are inslaved under an arbitrary pow- er," and intimated that there were some who would "hazard both life and estate in a inutiny and rebellion rather than bear the burden of the public charge." Nicolls peremp- Nicoll+ torily denounced the complainants as calumniators or trai- reditica .. tors, and made known his purpose to act vigorously, but ? May. justly, in every case.#
Much of this ill feeling arose from the discontent of the Cause of eastern Long Island towns with the result of the Hemp- tent. stead meeting. They disliked various provisions in Nicolls's
* New Haven Col. Rec., ii., 51, $0, 92, 122, 190-194, 364, 380, 412; Col. Rec. Conn., 1., 266. 1/4 40, 427; Cldmixon, il., 28; Fox's Journal (Philad. ed.), 438, 412, 453; Patents, L, Co, ::: Thompson, i, 364-367, 392 ; Wood, 0, 9; ante, p. 90 ; vol. i., 202, 300, 501.
* W .... 79; Thompson, i., 94; il., 8.
: Ord , Warr., Lett., il., 46, 47, 50, 54, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61 ; Mass. II. S. Coll., xxxvii., 102.
the discoa.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHAP. III. code, and pined for a legislative assembly after the manner 1666. of New England. Above all, they were mortified by what they thought was servile language in the address of their delegates to the Duke of York. This feeling grew when it was seen that several of those delegates had been appointed to office by the governor. Censures were so freely uttered by the disaffected, that the delegates, to justify themselves, 21 June. " Narra- drew up a "Narrative and Remonstrance," in which they tive" of the detailed what had occurred at Hempstead, and declared Hempstead delegates. that their address to the duke could not "bear any other natural sense and construction than our obedience and sub- mission to His Majesty's letters patent, according to our duty and allegiance." This narrative they published and recorded in each town, "that future ages may not be season- ed with the sour malice of such unreasonable and ground- less aspersions."*
Yet this did not satisfy the people. Disaffection became so general that the governor was obliged to interfere. At September. the autumn session of the Court of Assizes, it was accord- Action of the Court of Assizes ingly decreed "that whosoever shall reproach or defame against se- any person or persons who have or shall act in any public dition. employment, either in court or otherwise, or shall vilify their proceedings who serve the public in this Government by authority under His Royal Highness the Duke of York, or whoever hereafter shall any ways detract or speak against any of the deputies signing the Address to His Royal Highness at the General Meeting at Hempstead, they shall be presented at the next Court of Sessions, and if the Justices shall see cause, they shall from thence be bound over to the Assizes, there to answer for the slander upon plaint or information." Sedition was most violent at Setalcott, or Brookhaven. Arthur Smith, of that place, was convicted at the Assizes of saying that " the King was none of his King, and the Governor none of his Governor," 29 Septem, and sentenced to be put in the stocks. Richard Wood- hull was also fined five pounds, and required to make 1 October. a public acknowledgment. The same punishment was awarded to William Lawrence, of Flushing.t
" Deeds, İL, 43-48; Wood, 87, 173, 175; Thompson, f., 137; ii., 323-326.
t Court of Assize=, ii., S2. $3, 81, 94; Col. MISS., xxii, 107; N. Y. II. S. Coll., i, 417; Thompson, i, 137, 400, 410; 1i., 264, 393.
801
109
RICHARD NICOLLS, GOVERNOR.
Several amendments of the code were made at this ses- CHAR III. sion of the Assizes. Public rates were required to be paid 1666. every year in wheat and other produce, at certain fixed 27 Septent. prices, " and no other payment shall be allowed of." As. to 2 October. the law against selling liquor to the savages was disregard- Amend- ments to ed, owing to the difficulty of proof, it was ordered " that al- the code. though the testimony of heathens against Christians may not altogether be allowed, yet, when it meets with other apparent circumstances, such as may be sufficient to con- vince a jury, in such cases the Indian testimonies shall be admitted as good proofs against the persons accused." Per- laps the most important decree related to land patents. "The Court having taken notice of the defects and failings of both towns and persons in particular of not bringing in their grants or patents to receive a confirmation of them, or not coming to take out new grants where they are de- fective, or where there are none at all, according to former directions in the Law, As also taking it into their serious con- siderations that several towns and persons within this Gov- ernment, as well English as Dutch, do hold their lands and houses upon the conditions of being subjects to the States of the United Belgie Provinces, which is contrary to the allegiance due to his Majesty, They do therefore Order that all grants or patents whatsoever formerly made, shall be brought in, to be confirmed or renewed by authority of his Land put. Royal Highness the Duke of York, and all such as have renewel. enta to txt not patents shall likewise be supplied therewith by the first day of April next after the date hereof; after which time neither town nor private person, whether English or Dutch, shall have liberty to plead any such old grants, patents, or deeds of purchase in law, but they shall be looked upon as invalid to all intents and purposes."*
This stringent ordinance made great commotion. It was vigorously enforced, because the quit-rents and fees on renewals were necessary for the support of the govern- ment. In the course of the next few months, Neperhaem, Pelham, Westchester, Eastchester, Huntington, Flushing, Nor pas. Brookhaven, Easthampton, New Utrecht, Gravesend. Ja -. maica, Hempstead, Newtown, Flatlands, Bushwick, Flat-
· Court of Axsizes, if., 80; Col. MSS., xii., 107; N. Y. Hist. Soc. Coll., i., 414-119; 11of- ***** Treatise, L, 97.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHATMIT. bush, and Brooklyn, paid new fees and obtained new 1666. charters which generally confirmed to each of them their old boundaries, and " all the rights and privileges belong- ing to a town within this government." But Southold and Southampton refused to comply with this law; and it was not until several years afterward that they were finally obliged to yield .*
Nicolls, however, made allowances in special cases. In the city of New York, where all land titles were derived New York City and Albany patents. from the Dutch West India Company, the payments for new patents were greatly cased. The magistrates of Al- 1. Novem. bany were granted a month's delay, "in regard 'tis uncer- tain whether the river will be open before the time prefix- ed by the Court of Assizes for bringing in your ground- briefs under a penalty." They were also desired to keep a strict hand upon the authors or reporters of strange news, " that amongst yourselves no quarrels or disputes may arise, and to the end that English and Dutch may live as broth- ers." At the same time Nicolls advised Jeremias van Rensselaer, who claimed Albany as a part of Rensselaer- wyck, "not to grasp at too much authority," as the ques- tion was to be settled by the Duke of York, to whom it had been referred. "If you imagine," he added, "there is pleasure in titles of Government, I wish that I could serve your appetite, for I have found only trouble."+
The roguery of some of the soldiers gave Nicolls much annoyance. Thomas Weall and two others of the garrison 9 Novem. Thievish soldiers. at New York were convicted of having stolen some goods "out of Captain Carteret's cellar," and it was determined that one of them should die. The fatal lot fell to Weall. But on the Sunday evening before he was to be executed, "a company of the chief women of the city, both English 11 Novem. and Dutch," earnestly besought the governor to spare his life. The next morning they again interceded, accom- panied by " many others of the better sort, and a greater
* Col. Doc., il., 473; viii., 441; Patents, i., 88, 91, 90, 102, 105, 109, 111; iv., 50, 51. 53, 54, 56, 58; Bolton's Westchester, i., 125, 375, 517 ; ii., 171, 412; Riker's Newtown, 74, 15; Thompson's L. I., L, 311, 312, 334, 335, 384, 385, 411, 467 ; ii., 81, 159, 171, 177, 183, 201, 220; Stileb's Brooklyn, I., 151-156 ; ante, vol. i., 762.
t Court of A-size, il., 443, 444; Col. Doc., ill., 143, 144. Jeremias van Rensselaer scem- . ed to claim a right to succeed his brother John Baptist as proprietor, but Nicolls advised him to apply the line of Ovid-Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos-and not to in- quire prematurely, like a grasping son, how long his father was to live. See Barnard'a Sketch of Reussellerwyck, 131-133.
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£
111
RICHARD NICOLLS, GOVERNOR.
number of the ordinary Dutch women." All the privates CHAr. III. in the garrison, headed by Sergeant Thomas Exton, joined in a petition for their comrade's release. Yielding to these 1666. influences, Nicolls drew up the soldiers on parade, and 12 Novem. pardoned the prisoners .*
The governor's prudence was generally appreciated, and his influence grew stronger every day. "Many old mat- ters are ripped up and misinterpreted," wrote Van Ruyven z'- Aug't. to Stuyvesant in Holland, " but they are wisely disregard- of Nicol !-. ed by Governor Nicolls, so that a man remarked to me that it was the Governor's policy to follow the same course you had observed in the case of Governor Kieft."t
On reaching London after his captivity, Cartwright had explained the condition of affairs in New York, and the duke had licensed two ships to sail thither with necessary supplies ; but Nicolls could not yet be spared from his gov- ernment. In very friendly terms Clarendon intimated to 13 April. him that he might before long expect to return to England, "and then I hope some others will receive encouragement gland. by your example to look a little abroad, and imploy them- selves in doing good for their country." Secretary Mor- rice also wrote him a flattering letter on behalf of the king, 12 April. and enclosed a present of two hundred pounds, which Nic- olls gratefully received as given " at a time when money can be least spared."#
Nicolls commend- ed in En-
Finding that it was useless to continue them in New Eu- gland, the king, in gracious words, recalled his commission- 10 April. ers with " considerable gratuities." Letters expressing the minl ben royal approbation were likewise addressed to the submis- recalled. sive colonies of Connectient, Rhode Island, and Plymouth ; but Massachusetts was ordered to send over Bellingham, Hathorne, and others, to answer for her to the king. Mav- erick and Carr, one, or both, were also directed to return as witnesses. These letters were sent under cover to the & August. commissioners at Boston, where they were received by May- erick early in August. By order of Secretary Morrice, a duplicate of the one to Massachusetts, " signed and sealed,"
' N. Y. Surrogate's Rec. Wills, i., 13-18; Val. Man., 1847, 354, 355, 850.
t Col. Inc., ii., 473. Stuyvesant's policy had been to sustain the acts of his predecessor KLA: : see ante, vol. i., 408, 469, 472.
: C.L. D.c., fiL., 116, 130 ; Chalmers, i., 578; Ord., Warr., Lett., ii , S. ; Mass. II. S. Cell., xxxvii., 212.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHAP. III. was delivered the next month by Maverick to Governor
Bellingham. But the General Court, "with an uncom- 1666. 6 Septem. Disimula- tion of Mas- rachusetts. mon strain of dissimulation," affected to doubt its genuine- ness, notwithstanding a copy had been "surreptitiously con- veyed over to thein by some unknown hand before the 11 Septem. original came to Boston." An answer was addressed to Secretary Morrice, " in all humility" refusing to obey the royal directions ; but, to avert the king's displeasure, a present of "two very large masts" for his navy was pre- pared at great expense, and sent to England, which it was hoped would prove "as a cloud of latter rain." The dis- obedience of the Puritan colony was rebuked by Nicolls, Carr, and Maverick, but without effect .*
3 Novem.
24 October. Sugges- tions of Nicolls to the En- glish gov- erninent.
In writing to Secretary Morrice, Nicolls sharply review- ed the " false sophistry" of Massachusetts, and suggested that the king might "easily chastise their undutifulness, not by force, which might frighten the innocent as well as nocent, but by a temporary embargo upon their trade, 'till such and such persons are delivered into the hands of jus- tice. The numerous well-affected people in that and oth- er colonies would soon give up the ringleaders at His Maj- esty's disposal. Neither would His Majesty lose any of his customs by that embargo; for if strict care were taken to send a convenient number of ships with goods suitable to this port, all the trade of Boston would be brought hither, and from thence carried into England; in which case, a frigate of countenance for convoy or any emergent occa- sion would be necessary, if possibly to be supplied out of His Majesty's more immediate service. Indeed, in the posture we are, every small picaroon of the enemy's is master of all our harbors and rivers, from the Capes of Virginia to Piscataway."+
6 Novem. Nicolls's report on New York.
At the same time, Nicolls sent to the British government an interesting autograph report of the condition of New York, in the form of " Answers to the several queries re- lating to the planters in the Territories of Ilis Royal High- ness the Duke of York in America." Among other things,
* Col. Doc., ill., 116, 136, 140, 141, 142, 160, 173 : Mass. HI. S. Coll., xxxvii., 312-314: Chal- . . mers, i., 143, 277, 390; Hutch., i., 253, 257, 546-543; ColL, 408-410; Mass. Rec., iv. (ii.), 314-318, 327; Col. Der. Conn., ii., 514; R. I. Rec., ii., 149 ; Pepys, ili., 24; Bancroft, ii , St- 89; Barry, i., 400-403; Palfrey, il., 600, 024-600.
+ Col. Doc., il., 473 ; ifi., 186, 197; Ord., Warr., Lett., ii., S5; Chalmers, i., 573, 599; N. Y. II. S. Coll. (1562), 125-131, 157-159.
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RICHARD NICOLLS, GOVERNOR.
he explained that the governor and council, with the high- CHAP. III. sheriff and justices in the Court of Assizes, "have the su- preme power of making, altering, and abolishing any laws 1666. in this Government ;" that " the tenure of lands is derived from His Royal Highness," who would grant them at rents of one penny an acre, when purchased by himself from the Indians, and of two shillings and sixpence for a hundred acres when so bought by the planters ; that "liberty of conscience is granted and assured," provided the peace of the government be not disturbed ; that the rate for public charges had been agreed to "in a General Assembly, and is now managed by the Governor, his Council, and the Jus- tices in the Court of Assizes ;" and that " the obtaining all these privileges is long since recommended to IIis Royal Highness as the most necessary encouragement to these his territories, whereof a good answer is expected."*
In the mean time, the war in Europe between England and Holland and France seriously affected the American colonies. Suspicious of the Canadians, Nicolls engaged June. Winthrop and the Connecticut magistrates to mediate with the Mahicans for a peace between them and the Mohawks. The king's letters of the 22d of February, directing hostili- ties against Canada, being now received, measures were taken to stir up the Mohawks to war with the French. In- formation soon afterward reached Nicolls that a large force & July. was marching from Canada " towards Albany." The gar- rison at Esopus was at once ordered to strengthen that place. The governor also urged the authorities of Connec- 6 July. tieut and Massachusetts to raise a cavalry expedition, which attack of could " cut off the whole strength of Canada at once." Con- Canada. necticut pleaded that all her hands were occupied in the 11 Jely. Harvest ; and suggested that as she wished to promote peace cut refuses. Connecti- between the Mohawks and the Mahicans, it would be well "to let the French and Mohawks try it out a while," by
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